Seals, such as, for example, gaskets, are comprised of a flexible soft material, typically rubber. The softness and flexibility of the rubber permits the rubber to conform to the adjacent surface to provide a seal. Suitable rubbers for seals, such as ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers, are well known. Seals generally require a second rigid material, attached to the rubber, to provide a surface for attaching the rubber. Typically, this rigid material has been a metal, such as steel. However, steel has several disadvantages; cost and a propensity to rust. Attempts have been made to substitute the steel rigid material with plastic; plastic provides rigidity at a lower cost and will not rust. However, joining plastic to rubber, as in joining rubber to steel, presents several problems. Joining the plastic to rubber has been conventionally accomplished by adhesives and/or clips. However, joining any dissimilar materials with an adhesive often may result in a joint that may over time fail.
It would be advantageous to ..have an article containing a rubber component and a plastic component having a continuous strong joint between the rubber and plastic, that will not rust.